3,186 followers. She posted about it, and someone she knew in the Malibu community messaged her: Just so you know, four days before, a Tesla was hit at the same time, same place, right outside Malibu Creek State Park. And I'm like, What the fuck? Their second, also a daughter, was born two years later. In Richard Wintons article There Were Five Shootings At and Near a Malibu Park Over Two Years. The most random, terrible thing can happen to you. Maybe the man in the tent was a one-off thing. The noise from the kitchen while she was still in bed would make her feel safe and taken care of. And he knew that we hadnt eaten all morning, and we had no change of clothes. It still might be a total disaster, Erica said. Erica said she knew more about raising daughters without a father than she wanted to, because she herself had lost her father when she was young: For me, I feel like it was a big part of my childhood, growing up without him. Look at most politicians. When they finally got to the top, they rode along the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains, and on one side was the Valley, spread out below, and on the other was the ocean, and they were up there with the whole view to themselves. It was a hard-fought battle won by activists and community members in 2015. But at some point, I feel like there has to be some accountability, he told me. Just that decision felt like progress, she said. More often than not, there are no consequences. Residents speculate that perhaps this was Tristans killer. Tristan was in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time, she said. And then they went back to their tents and lay down next to their children, to await the morning. Theres something about the prosecution of the burglary suspect, she says, that feels convenienta result, perhaps, of the political fallout that followed Tristans death. The self-proclaimed accidental activist has turned her focus to investigative reporting. And I know the community there is incredibly frustrated with the string of incidents and just the fact that all of these things have happened and there hasn't been a lot of follow-up., Tristans brother-in-law Scott, who was there at the campground, and who was the first adult to respond to Tristan, told me he, too, was waiting for the trial to see what story the state told about its actions. . thorough and meticulous reporting strategy has resulted in criminal investigations at the local and federal level and continues to develop a solid network of sources, many of whom are stepping forward to fight public corruption and the injustices perpetrated by elected officials whose decision making during these unprecedented times has resulted in economic collapse. In retrospect, this was maybe the happiest Erica ever saw him. The Woolsey Fire Engulfs Southern California, Malibu Residents Fear Serial Attacker in Their Scenic Enclave. But she didnt really recognize herself in any of them. Finally, the judge announces that Rauda is about to arrive. In the void, people craft theories of their own. Malibu local and watchdog CeCe Woods from TheLocalMalibu.com caught wind of the assault and started her own investigation. But they were finally on the cusp of him being able to do whatever he wanted to do. In 2008, on Labor Day weekend, they got married in Tilden Park, in the hills above Berkeley, with all their friends and family present, in a big rented room with glass walls and a stone clearing outside. San Diego. In late 2014, after noticing a void in local investigative journalism with the departure of Surfside News founder Ann Sobel, Woods started The Local. Its like that weird feeling that you couldve avoided all of this.. She was married at least once to a Steve Woods, who encouraged her activism and advocacy. She returned to Malibu in 2006 and was focused on preserving the local environment. Rogers told me that some time later, after he realized he'd actually been shotwith bird shot, he believes; Rauda was allegedly arrested with a riflehe drove back to the park. They want the sensational. Meanwhile, there is someone, or multiple people, in the hills around Malibu Creek State Park, breaking into unoccupied buildings, stealing food and other supplies. Tristan and Scott looked at each other like, That was fucking awesome. The warrants includedformer LA Metro CEO and FAA nominee Philip Washington. In 2009, Tristan and Erica moved to Southern Californiato Long Beach and then Irvinewhere Erica had found a residency at U.C. One week later, a fire breaks out in Woolsey Canyon, on the property of an industrial research complex owned by Boeing. It's a ten-year crime spree that could make a Hollywood movie, one detective says. I started 90265 Magazine in May of 2013 followed by The Local . After that, she said, shes going to fly to Asia with her daughters. What is the value of a young husband instantly taken out of life in front of his two daughters? An amateur sleuth, she has investigated and reported on crime stories in her publications. I was expecting to have to give some sort of statement, but all they did was give me their card. After that, Tatangelo said, she never heard from them again. For Erica it might as well have been a meteorsomething cosmic and unsparingly destructive. As for Erica, wellshe and the girls were getting out of town. "There is no confirmed connection, and remember, even now there is no confirmed connection," he said at the meeting. There the kids discovered a play kitchen in the back, and so Erica went to watch them as Liz, Pete, and I talked. Tristan, who had his pick of chemistry labs, chose Berkeley. He featured in a publication with a young Woods beside him. Tristan and Erica went to different schools but met their senior year, when Tristan needed a date to his winter formal. Rauda, via his public defender, pleads not guilty. His was Tristan Beaudette. And I heard that from guys inside law enforcement. What would happen in the courts would happen in the courts. Are you kidding me? At times, she said, she had visions of this other life that she and Tristan had constructeddeposits put down on a house miles from here, different schools chosen for the girlsthat was just out there somewhere, a ghost of the one she was actually living, here among strangers. He, too, thinks whats happening now with the accused is a little fishy. Because I was so happy, I was always kind of feeling like the other shoe was going to drop one day. In 2018, Woods exposed the law enforcement cover-up in the Malibu Creek State Park Shootings case and provided the most comprehensive coverage during the Woolsey Fire with over a million hits across social media platforms during the most devastating wildfire in Malibus history. Is it safe to go back to Malibu Creek State Park? shed written. My last pictures and video of Tristan are of him on the beach, Scott told me. She has investigated and reported on crime stories in her publications as an amateur sleuth. But I think that's what I miss most about him. It sounds dumb when I say it. But mostly she feels like none of the speculation has anything real to do with her or her husband, a man shed known and depended on for just about half her life. Every news station was after me for an interview. In 2017 another woman, 20-year-old Elaine Park, was last seen in Calabasas before vanishing as well; a few days later, her car was found on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, abandoned, with all her possessions inside. Must have been close to something, who knows? Tristan found a new job at a pharmaceutical company in the area. Dylan Beaudette, Tristans brother, told me he didnt want to say much before the upcoming trial. By July, residents of the area are regularly reporting hearing gunshots echoing through the hills and advising one another to lock their windows and doors. Its Malibu. Measure R passed with 60% of the vote. He told me he had photos from the day before Tristans death that he still looked at, sometimes. He fell in with a tight-knit group of fellow grad students, who were surprised that this tall, mellow surfer-looking guy had the same aptitude for the work that they did. He played the vice president. Woods was the only local Malibu media on the ground during the Woolsey Fire and provided the most comprehensive coverage generating over a million hits across social media platforms during the most devastating wildfire in Malibu's history. Like, You want to go on-camera and talk about this? I'm like, Yeah. Over the phone, Tristan would tell Erica about his Ultimate Frisbee team, the Air Squids, and how his teammates called him Morris, after Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell, because he was so clean-cut. Some of Cece Woods famous reports include her 2018 coverage of the Malibu Creek State Park Shootings, the disappearance of Matthew Weaver Jr., Elaine Parks missing case, and many others that have prompted law enforcement to make changes. Editor in Chief, Cece Woods, started her career in publishing in 2013 with the launch of 90265 Magazine. But he was working on finding perspective these days. I dont know. That had to have been done with a scope. In the first week of January 2019, authorities charge Anthony Rauda with nearly every shooting that occurred in the area over the past three years, including that of Tristan: ten counts of attempted murder, five counts of second-degree burglary, one count of murder. The project was highly charged, dividing the community, and made global headlines. Right after it happened, Scott told me, there were so many conspiracy theories. From my memory, they never took pictures. As bailiffs drag him out, he attempts to fire his court-appointed attorney. In late 2014, after noticing a void in local investigative journalism with the departure of Surfside News founder Ann Sobel, Woods started The Local. I dont know. 3,186 Followers, 2,152 Following, 3,041 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Cece Woods (@cecewoods) cecewoods. The notice made no mention of Tristan or of Raudas other alleged victims. You're the only Zach I've talked to at all since then, so I know you're the Zach. She said that in those sessions, the reader gave her hints, leads to pursue: She said, The ballistics won't match. I don't think they have a ballistics match. She was wearing boots, jeans, and a sweater, and looked both very young and somehow years beyond 37, the age shed turned a few weeks earlier. Site design by Malibu Global Media // Like Erica, hed grown up in Fresno, California, descended on both sides from longtime residents of the area. On Thursday, June 21, Tristan had breakfast with Erica and their girls, and then packed up his car. But they kept up a correspondence, e-mailing every day, speaking on the phone every night. And what about all the gunshots that people continued to hear at night, even after the suspect was arrested? Because what are you waiting for? After Tristans death, his claim alleges, Royal was made to host a town hall for residents, before which he was told to communicate the departments official position, which was that the previous shootings in the area were unrelated to Tristans death. There was the way that she found out, when her sister arrived at the door of her and Tristans place in Irvine, at 6:45 a.m., when she was preparing to take her board exam, a test shed never end up taking. About anything, really. Officials seem to intimate the suspect is guilty of other crimes they cannot prove going all the way back to 2010. I know it doesnt make sense, but I always wonder, would wouldve happened if I just ignored it? The spectators in the courtroom slowly disperse. Most recently, Cece exposedthe Lost Hills Station failure to issue a Public Safety notice after a sexual predator gained access to a condominium complex and sexually assaulted a Pepperdine student which led to disciplinary against the deputies and a change in command staff at the station. Tristan and Scott got off the trail, to let them pass. No glint of specialness, of exception. Santa Ana winds push the fire south; the whole area, including the Malibu Creek State Park campground, burns for nearly two weeks, destroying hundreds of homes and who knows what else, turning the hillsides black. At the end of the night, when they said goodbye, Erica wondered if she was ever going to see him again. The decision was made in consultation with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and reflects the assessment of California State Parks and local law enforcement that there is no public safety risk at the park. Tatum works in the corporate end of DoorDash in San Francisco. Click edit button to change this text. Thats what some residents in the area begin to theorize. There wasnt anything that distinguished them from another grieving family, even. What happened to Tristan, Liz said, really changed my outlook on life. It had been a lot of years of Erica leaning on Tristan as she moved toward her professional degree. They always knew they wanted kids; the question was merely how many. In January 2019, after the Wu familys wrongful death lawsuit was filed, his lawyer, Matthew McNicholas, told me, and it was confirmed internally that Lieutenant Royal had recommended a warning, retaliation began. Royal says he was transferred to a different sheriffs station, considerably farther from his home, and the department opened an internal affairs inquiry, accusing Royal of interfering with an investigation. (Citing pending litigation, the LASD declined to comment on Royal's suit. Cece was active with local environmentalists by participating in protests and putting added pressure on local government officials to pass the ban. Do we have a sniper here now? Woods began gathering accounts of other shootings and posting them on her site. The city of Malibu never put out a public safety announcement, and I believe it's because they don't want to make the sheriffs look bad, Woods tells the Hollywood Reporter. In 2020, Cecebegan exposing the corruption at LA Metro which has lead to national news coverage including working with officials and watchdog organizations in DC. In 2006, she made the journey back to Malibu permanently, the passion to preserve it was ignited. To Erica, there was no mystery to this mystery: Her husband was gone. Each episode features an amateur private investigator trying to solve a case. In 2012, Cece became involved in local environmental and political activism at the urging of former husband Steve Woods, a resident for more than 4o years. Scott, who had been there for the end, was still reckoning with that, too. And at least we'll get away. Brissa Bradfield Leaving WICU-TV: Wheres 12News Eries Anchor Going? He was the type of guy who liked what he liked uncomplicatedly. My understanding is that it is a million percent random, Erica told me. Most of the other guests at the Malibu Creek State Park campsite dont wake up; those that do later report hearing three to four loud bangs, which they dont reliably identify at first as gunshots. Rauda is apparently uncooperative. And I recognized him. Advertisement Instagram Instagram For the 2016 City Council election, Cece created a comprehensive local media campaign strategy for the Team Malibuslate using all platforms available, print, social media, and website, which proved to be an integral part in seating three council members in the November election. First Name: Last Name: Email: Its unfortunate, but its the truth., The coverage, Dylan said, has been a nightmare.. When they arrived Tristan looked around and decided they could do better. 90265 Magazine Established as a passion project to get back to our roots, 90265 Magazine is known for its intimate look at the authentic Malibu lifestyle, featuring local activists, creatives, influencers and tastemakers who live in Malibu. In early June 2019, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department lieutenant James Royal sued the LASD and Los Angeles County, alleging that he had twice gone to his superiors prior to Tristans death, beginning in January 2017, and asked to warn the public. Nearly a year later, Tristan Beaudette was killed. He would bike to the BART, go see Erica, bike back. Tristan picked Erica up and took her to dinner. I don't knowthe me of a year ago would never have just gotten on a plane with them and just flown somewhere. In 2020, Cece foundedThe Current Report, a regional news and politics platform and began exposing the corruption at LA Metro which has lead to national news coverage and has expanded intoco-hosting and producing on TNT Radio a global, 24/7 news talk station. Her. Mostly, Tristan talked and Scott listened. So it was easy for people to start putting together these stories, and, you know, if you're the first one that's what people believe. She was plunged into this world when she started investigating what seemed like a cover-up of a rash of shootings at Malibu Creek State Park in 2018, and was the only journalist providing on-the-ground, up-to-the-minute coverage of the Woolsey Fire, which devastated the area in December 2018. And then: a void where a person used to be. I know there are some bad people out in those mountains, she said. The LASD has no leads that they are willing to disclose to the public. In late 2014, after noticing a void in local activism based journalism with the departure of Surfside News founder Ann Sobel, Woods started The Local. banning the use of rodenticides in Malibu. The pandemic allowed Cece to expand her news coverage leading to the exposure of L.A. Metro Counterfeit Mask scandal which opened two federal investigations within 24 hours of the storys release and once the Biden Administration was made aware of the investigations the head of their transition team for public transportation was the subject of, a different candidate was chosen as Secretary of Transportation under the new administration. Exclusion is Malibu's founding principle. In turn, the local TV stations noticed her work. The suspects family member said hed been living in the area for the past ten years and was afraid of people. I don't think that's a very effective way to communicate who a person was, to list all their qualities. His partner had committed suicide, and Woods, in her telling, helped clear him of any lingering suspicion authorities may have had. That night, residents report again hearing gunfire. There was also the matter of the $90 million civil negligence claim filed by the Wu family, which will eventually be litigated in a State Superior Court. They've got night vision goggles. This guy is not that guy. They met a long time ago, in high school. She did not forgive whoever had done it. But it was news to him that he was named as a victim in the complaint against Rauda. In four short years, The Localhas become the most trusted voice in local media. The judge sets bail at $10 million. In four short years, The Local has become the most trusted voice in local media. "From the best husband ever" thank you @stevewoodzy #divorceisagoodthing They didnt see each other as often as they wouldve liked. Probably even loved him already. Season 2 takes place in the late 70s and early '80s, as Malibu was changing from a low-profile beach town into a celebrity haven, full of new money and hard drugs. In 2006, she made the journey back to Malibu permanently and the passion to preserve it was ignited. The Hollywood Reporter, has featured Cece numerous times in the last year. He took them camping and on bike trips. They got there in the early afternoon and were assigned a campsite at the gate. Erica now lives in a meticulously organized subdivision near the hospital where she works. Woodsrevealed on Facebook that her father, David, was an artist. I'm struggling with how I can articulate this, he told me, but what the coverage so far has been really seems like the angle is shock and, like: Look at this terrible thingand not necessarily Why did this happen? Tristan became a morning person, waking up with the girls while Erica caught up on sleep. Scott went back to the gate and got them moved, and they pitched camp there, taking turns watching the kids and setting up their two tents. The victims daughters, who are unharmed, are collected by the victims wifes brother-in-law, who was camping at an adjacent site with his own two young children, and taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Station. Nothing was done properly. Pete said that he had found it harder to let go. His bail is set at $1.1 million. And then Tristan and Scott took the children down to Malibu so they could play by the ocean. In late 2014, after noticing a void in local investigative journalism with the departure of Surfside News founder Ann Sobel, Woods started The Local. Her publications highlight the local lifestyle as well as the civic and environmental concerns of Malibu. Because there was no reason that that man had to get murdered there. So what are we going to do about it?, At the scene of the crime, she said, they were walking all over everything. And it didn't really get me anywhere. In June, Erica came down from San Francisco to attend Tristans college graduation in San Diego, on a huge outdoor field on a hot day. But this is how it's different now. The 17-year-old and her mother were among the hundreds who spoke to the systemic issues of bullying being seen in the region Danielle saying that self-harm was her 'only escape.' Tales of bullying,. I'm a truth seeker. We reveal more about who Cece Woods is right here. How to get the kids to school every day? The campground recently reopened to the public. She exposed the counterfeit mask scandal LA Metro and the two-year law enforcement cover-up in the Malibu Creek State Park Shootings. They hold a community meeting in August but tell anxious residents that they cant really tell them anythingif the earlier shootings are connected to the death of the man in the tent, the LASD has found no evidence of the fact, according to James Royal, one of the lieutenants leading the meeting. Cece was the only media present on September 14th, 2022 at LA Metro Headquarters when the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department served warrants in a criminal case involving former CEO Phillip Washington who the Biden administration nominated in July to be head of the FAA. 3,041 Posts - see Instagram photos and videos from Cece Woods from TheLocalMalibu.com caught wind of night... 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